Overview
- Video and ground reports from May 21–22 show hundreds of dead fish floating in shallow, receded parts of Sanjay Lake after several days of intense heat.
- DJB identified a leak on the pipeline that carries treated effluent from Kondli sewage treatment plant and began repair work that officials expect to finish in roughly 48 hours.
- Experts and officials say soaring temperatures and shallow, stagnant water sharply reduced dissolved oxygen, a direct stressor that kills fish when oxygen falls suddenly.
- Cleaners have removed about 2 to 3 quintals of carcasses over 72 hours and residents report foul smells and fewer birds that feed on the lake’s fish.
- The deaths revive earlier regulatory concerns about high pollution and low oxygen in the Yamuna-linked system, underscoring the need for resilient backup water supplies and faster infrastructure fixes to protect urban wetlands.